A few months ago I was eating dinner with a couple who had been in youth ministry for several decades, took a 5 year break, and just began serving in youth ministry again this year. The husband leaned over to me and said, “Jonathan, everything’s different! I’ve got kids who say they’re ‘pan’ or ‘a-gender’. I’ve got a girl who doesn’t want to be a she or even a he… she wants to be a ‘they.'” Then he asked me, “What the heck has happened in the last 5 years?!!”

I’m away with my wife celebrating 27 years of marriage… having a blast with her, I might add… but we’re checking email every other day and doing about 15 minutes of work those mornings (not sure if that is allowed on vacation, but we’re both doing it).

Every time I log in and check into the real world I see an article addressing something in the world of LGBTQ, like raising genderless kids, or the new bill in California that everyone is freaking out about, or churches desperately wanting to know how to reach out to kids experiencing same-sex-attraction (SSA), and yes… the event we’re launching this fall helping church leaders respond to this issue in grace and truth Continue reading “Reaching LGBTQ kids” »

Today’s guys face a lot of distractions… a lot more than I faced as a young man.

Let’s be honest. When I was 13 in 1983 I had access to porn, drugs, and raunchy entertainment media.

But porn wasn’t just a click away in my pocket, it was in a magazine at my friend’s house if we dared to sneak into his dad’s bedroom.

Marijuana was available, but it wasn’t mainstream or encouraged… and it sure wasn’t legal.

I loved movies, music and television, but my house had one screen and a boombox. Now I have a dozen screens, and my entire entertainment media library is available in the cloud. Name a movie or music video. I can watch it within seconds, regardless of rating.

As requests are coming in for speaking this fall, I wanted to let you know about a new workshop I’m launching… FOUR CONVERSATIONS! It’s the first parent workshop I’m doing where I have parents and kids in the same room!

The song debuted in the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The music video is full of celebrity cameos and has already garnered over 100 million views. When I mentioned that particular song speaking at a church last Sunday morning, teens in the audience literally shouted, “Yeah!” in acclamation (and I mentioned about a dozen songs).

Many of you know I’ve been buried in bullying for the last few months, polling kids, listening to stories, dialoguing with counselors… all for my next book, The Bullying Breakthrough.

Would you like to take a peek at it?

Here’s the deal: I’ve got two weeks before I turn this manuscript in to my publisher and I’d love your feedback. That means you’d have about a week to read as much as you want and let me know your thoughts.